Ready for a luxury East London break? Enter our exclusive competition to win a stylish two-night stay at the award-winning Town Hall Hotel, complete with daily breakfast and an exquisite dinner for two at Elis.
Win a luxurious 2 night stay in the stunning Town Hall Hotel
Looking for the ultimate East London escape? We’ve teamed up with the award-winning Town Hall Hotelin Bethnal Green to give one lucky reader and a guest the chance to win a stylish two-night stay, complete with daily breakfast and dinner at the acclaimed Elis .
Housed inside the former Edwardian Bethnal Green Town Hall, this Grade-II listed landmark seamlessly blends grand historic architecture with cutting-edge modern design. Step inside to discover sweeping marble staircases, intricate Art Deco detailing, and a striking glass-and-steel extension—creating a boutique retreat like no other.
Experience the best of East London
Positioned right in the energetic heart of Bethnal Green, Town Hall Hotel is perfectly placed for exploring East London’s vibrant culture from the independent boutiques of Shoreditch, to the iconic Columbia Road Flower Market and historic Brick Lane.
When you’re not out exploring, unwind in the hotel’s breath taking 14-metre indoor heated swimming pool, squeeze in a session at the gym, or relax with a cocktail at the bar.
What you can win:
A two-night stay for two guests in one of the hotel’s spacious, gallery-like luxury suites (featuring fully equipped kitchens and bespoke interiors).
Daily breakfast (B&B) to start each morning in style.
Dinner for two at Elis, where two-Michelin-starred chef Rafael Cagali and his team serve up a relaxed menu inspired by his Brazilian-Italian roots.
For your chance to win simply fill in the form below. if you can’t see the form, click here.
The Real Rooneys gives fans a real insight into the lives of Wayne and Coleen Rooney and also some surprising details of what goes on
Wayne and Coleen have opened their home to the Disney+ cameras
The Real Rooneys throws up some interesting and surprising scenes and a lot of nuggets of information and Wayne and Coleen which will be new for fans. Coleen says of the series: “We live in this in this extraordinary world, but we are normal at the end of the day.”
Wayne adds: “When you know you’re on TV or you’re doing something, you maybe tone things down a little bit, but at home with four young boys, that’s impossible. It’s real what you see.” Here are some of the more shocking and surprising things I spotted previewing the first four episodes…
WAYNE’S WINDOWLESS REQUEST
The Rooneys live in an incredible mansion with dozens of rooms and grounds which are big enough for them to race around in go karts, as we see on the show. But despite paying for the property, Wayne had just two slightly odd requests when it was built. He says: “I only wanted two things in here, a small little room with no windows, not because I am a psycho for playing PlayStation or watching a movie. And a snooker table. I didn’t really care what else.” Thanks to Coleen there is also other great rooms which have fun things in them like a swimming pool and a boxing ring.
COLEEN LUCKY TO BE ALIVE
Coleen’s mum reveals that her beloved daughter may never have met Wayne or survived beyond a brief childhood having been very ill as a small child.
Colette McLoughlin tells the cameras: “When Coleen was three, she got really sick. It turned out it was encephalitis, and her brain was swelling. She couldn’t walk. She couldn’t speak. She was stumbling her words. When we got to Alder High Hospital, she ended up in a coma. For 24 hours it was touch and go. She had to learn to walk again. All the coordination had gone, but I’m so grateful because she was alive.” This help she got at hospital is one of the reasons Coleen’s parents became foster carers.
WAYNE WATERWORKS AT TV SOAPS
Wayne admits now he is older he gets emotional about lots of things. The subject comes up when Kai’s football career is being discussed and he is asked if he will cry if his eldest son gets a scholarship at Manchester United. Wayne replies: “Probably. I cry at everything anyway. I’ve cried over some mad things, Coronation Street, X Factor, when Barry got pushed off the hill by Janine in EastEnders, I’m pretty sure I was crying.”
COLEEN CONSIDERED SPLIT FROM WAYNE
His bad behaviour down the years is well documented and Wayne is not perfect husband material in the series either. Like most married couples there are some rows and at one stage Coleen says: “There’s times where I think ‘Is the answer to see what it’s like if we were separated?’.”
She then adds: “But the we still care for each other, we still have good times. You know, we still love each other.”
At another point she tells Wayne: “It’s been a bit of a lads holiday for you, staying up all night. You can’t just keep doing what you do. It is not fair of everyone else. It is only you that can fix it because no one else is doing it. I’m just hoping that things change.”
KAI MOCKS HIS DAD
It seems Wayne struggles with early starts as he is shown sleeping through alarms and missing doing the school run on at least one occasion.
But one morning – seemingly the first time the Disney+ cameras are at the home – Wayne is seen up early, although he seems in need of coffee. His eldest son Kai is clearly not used to seeing his dad before school. With a grin he says: “Bro’s up for the cameras”.
Kai also states he is the best footballer in the family, and that he wants people to “know the name Kai Rooney” so he is a star footballer in his own right in the future.
WAYNE SOMETIMES HATES FAME
Wayne and Coleen take their two youngest children Kit, 10; and Cass, eight to Poland for an educational trip.
Initially it goes well and Wayne goes unrecognised but a trip on a horse drawn cart in Krakow blows his cover and he is soon swamped for autographs and selfies, and then family need to beat a sharp exit.
Afterwards Wayne reflects on what happened and says his level of fame has changed him as a person and he would love to be able to live unrecognised more often. He says: “I’m not a celebrity. People who know me know, know that I want to be as normal as possible.
“Back to when I was a kid, and you wanted to be a football player. That’s all I ever wanted to do, and didn’t care about fame or money or whatever. I just wanted to be a football player. I think I’d be such a better husband, dad, person, friend without it(fame). It affects places I go, things I do.
“I bought a mask I saw on TikTok[to use as a disguise], it looked incredible but it was terrible.”
WAYNE’S JEWISH ROOTS
As part of the break with Kit, 10; and Cass, the family visit Auschwitz because Kit asked to visit while learning about the Second World War at school.
Wayne tells the cameras: “I recently found out my mum’s mum, so me nan, her family were Polish Jews.”
He is told by producers that would make him technically jewish. Wayne replies: “I’m Catholic, but then I’ve always asked questions like, why aren’t we Jewish?”
Told it could make a whole spin off show he says with a grin: “Roo the jew!”
* Stream The Real Rooneys on Disney+ from September 24.
When the weather hots up, wild swimming is sure to cool you down – and is completely free to enjoy. Mum of two Hannah Britt shares her top tips for having a splashing good time, and staying safe
22:31, 22 Sep 2026Updated 22:34, 22 Sep 2026
You can swim under an old mill at Moulin du Roc Tombe, located in the Gard region of France
When the weather reaches boiling point, there’s not many outdoor activities that appeal. So when I tell you that our family of four spent most of our time waist deep in a river, it is no lie. And I’m here to tell you that its easier than you think to get the whole family involved.
The location
For us, France is unbeatable for wild swimming. It offers an abundance of clean, warm, and legally accessible natural waterways, lakes, and gorges. France has thousands of miles of pristine rivers and over 1,300 official inland river bathing sites, supported by major mountain ranges like the Alps, Pyrenees, and the Jura that feed crystal-clear water year-round. You can even bathe in some parts of the Seine in Paris. In short, almost anywhere you go, you’ll find a place to dip.
The kit
You truly don’t need much to become a wild swimmer apart from a car (more on this later), swimwear, SPF, microfibre towels, a picnic blanket and une baguette. If you’re feeling professional, water shoes are a coup too, as many river beaches are stony. But if I were to recommend one thing, it would be the Wild Swimming France book. With over 1000 recommended and proven safe swim spots all around the country, it’s the Bible of wild swimming, as you guessed it, in France.
Where we stayed
The perfect place to stay when you want to indulge in a week or so of wild swimming is somewhere, er, wild. And this is because, by staying somewhere in the middle of nowhere, you are encouraged to venture out to explore what is nearby.
This summer, we chose a stone farmhouse in Saint-Saveur-de-Cruzieres on Airbnb, which was perfectly located nearby some amazing swimming spots. The 5-hectare estate is split into two separate living areas – a large house with three four bedrooms and a master kitchen, and a smaller house with one bedroom upstairs and a kitchen diner downstairs. To the rear, a stunning swimming pool enjoyed views upon views upon views of the fields and hills beyond the grounds. The jewel in its crown was indeed the location. Peaceful, idyllic… it was hard to tear ourselves away.
But when we did, to be found close by was a whole host of wild swims. Wild swimming at the Pont du Gard lets you bathe in the clear, cool waters of the Gardon River directly beneath a 2,000-year-old Roman aqueduct. Guinguette La Frigoulette is a family-run riverside restaurant operating since 1969 located in Saint-André-de-Roquepertuis within the scenic Gorges de la Cèze and serves as the perfect casual base for a day of wild swimming along the Cèze River.
Also a restaurant-come-swim-spot, Moulin du Roc Tombe (often referred to as Le Roc Tombe) is a scenic river wild swimming spot positioned on the Cèze river near Saint-Ambroix. Local canoeing routes on the Cèze often stop here for a swim near the old mill. Finally, wild swimming at Vallon Pont d’Arc in the Ardèche region centres around the magnificent 34-meter-high natural limestone arch of the Pont d’Arc, offering crystal-clear, refreshing emerald water sandy river beaches, and plenty of rocks to jump from.
Getting around
To get truly wild, you need a car. So we hired one for our week in France with Sixt. We chose a BMW X5, with a boot big enough to hold our wild swimming gear, and to climb inside when there was nowhere else to change.
A 4×4, it was able to handle rough terrain, which we encountered on occasion heading down dirt tracks and into makeshift car parks at some of the more remote wild swimming locations. The advisers at Sixt were more than happy to help when we told them what we needed, and our “Beema” became the fifth family member while in France.
Stay safe
Record breaking lake swimmer Neil Gilson shares his advice for safe swimming:
*Before every swim, assess the water temperature, weather, wind, currents and the conditions across the route. Only swim when they advise that it is safe to do so.
Never underestimate open water. Even on a hot day, the water can be dangerously cold and conditions can change very quickly.
Always swim with others, choose a safe location, and never take unnecessary risks.
*To find a home from home in France, see Airbnb; for car hire, see Sixt
